365 Days of Kingdom Hearts
by Daniel Jasper
Summary: 365 one-shots and drabbles for the Kingdom Hearts fandom. Prompts, requests and suggestions are welcome. Pairings include SoRiku, AkuRoku, Seiner, etc. See summaries inside for details.
1. Seifer Caught Me

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the Kingdom Hearts plots, characters or designs.

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**Seifer Caught Me**

**"To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human can fight; and never stop fighting."**

**-e.e. cummings, 1955**

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Somebody was definitely bunking out in the lavatory just off Mr. Vexen's Science Lab and as the pride and joy of Twilight Town High, Axel Flynn, student body president and star ice-hockey player, felt it was his duty to tell them to scram and get the fuck back to class.

Pushing the bathroom door open, the redhead paused in his steps when it was clear whoever was skiving off in the small room had, not two minutes before his entrance, been crying.

Axel could hear them attempting to stifle their snivelling in the last cubicle from the door. It was more than likely a blubbering senior who was just rejected as a prom night date at lunch in the cafeteria or something.

"Hello? Hello? Can I help you?"

"Fu- fuck off."

"Look," Axel glanced around the small bathroom, taking quick note of the piss stained floors and a cubicle door that was barely hanging by its hinges, "You're not supposed to be here. The bell for class rang seven minutes ago."

When the redhead didn't receive a verbal response, he made his way towards the errant student, intending to pry the door open if he had to.

"Under article eighteen of section six in the school's manual students are not allowed-" Axel's voice faltered, his fingertips slipping from their loose hold on the broken door.

It was Roxas.

And by the looks of the blackening eye he was sporting, the little blond hadn't noticed whom he was speaking to.

"I said fuck off, loser-" the younger kid was up on his feet. His fists were clenched at his waist-side, ready to throw a series of well-placed punches if the situation called for it.

Axel shuffled forward, a hand cupping Roxas' chin so that he was forced to look the redhead in his envy-green eyes, "You were saying?"

"Oh, it's you," the blond's cobalt blue eyes widened comically for a brief moment, before he shook himself out of Axel's hold, "I thought it was one of the others from before."

"From before?"

Not liking the way Roxas' seemed to be favouring his right leg, the red stepped closer to examine the boy before him. Roxas' lip was split, a sliver of blood had dribbled down the side of his mouth, and it looked as if someone had thrown him headfirst into the steel hand dryer.

"Roxas, who did this to you?"

The blond averted his eyes.

"Better yet, why?" he growled.

Roxas bit into his already abused lower lip, "It's none of your fucking business."

Axel carded a hand through his hair, yanking through it in frustration. "I just want to help, damn it!"

"Yeah, well..." the younger of the two quickly slipped passed the fiery-redhead and walked towards one of the basins to splash his face with cold water, "There's nothing you can do, so piss off."

Axel's gaze followed the blond, squashing the annoying preppy voice in the back of head that was screaming that they shouldn't be spending class time bunking in the lav.

"Was it Seifer?"

Roxas sniffled, wiping his snotty nose on the cuff of the long-sleeve navy shirt he had decided to don that morning.

The older student cocked an eyebrow in question, "I take that as a 'yes' then?"

After a moment of silence, the younger blond gave a minute nod.

"And what was his reasoning this time?"

"It's really none of your concern, Axel." Roxas spat before slowly wrapped his arms around his stomach. He was starting to look a little green around the edges.

Axel was grateful when the kid stumbled back against the bathroom wall and slid down to sit on his haunches. He couldn't have the little blondie fainting on him, now could he?

"...Nothing your perfect precious little head would want to stick itself into for that matter."

"Oh come on, Roxas." The redhead lifted his palms in defeat, "I've known you for nearly three years now. You can tell me anything. Now, why'd you get beat up this time?"

The small blond jerked from the defensive position his head had taken in the fold of his arms, surprised by the insistent tone Axel's voice had taken.

"Seifer caught me."

"I don't understand," Axel's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "Caught you doing what?"

The blond took a hesitant breath.

"Making out with Hayner in the parking lot."

Axel spluttered. He was pretty sure that if he had been drinking some type of beverage at that moment, Roxas would have been covered in it.

"You what?"

Roxas striking blue eyes narrowed, "Do you have a problem with that?"

"But Roxas, he's a guy and you fucking kissed him-"

"Shove off, Axel!" the redhead barely escaped the foot that kicked out in his direction, "I knew I shouldn't have told you!"

"Wait, hold up, Roxie. Are you- I'm mean, do you mean to tell me that you're a fag?"

"What's it to you?" Roxas' face was flushed. Bright pink spots of colour had appeared high on his sunken cheeks and his eyes had darkened to a dark indigo blue, "You gonna beat me up for it too, asshole?"

"'Cause that's what Seifer did. He walked in here with his lackeys, Rai and that blue-headed compatriot of his, and fucking punched my stomach in until I could barely breathe."

Axel could make at the odd sprays of splattered blood where Roxas must have lain against the floor gasping for air.

He winced.

"It doesn't have to be like this though. I'm sure that if you-"

"If I what, Axel?" Roxas scowled. Standing now, he inched forward until he was in as much of Axel's personal space that was humanly possible for such a short kid, "Do you think I like getting bullied every week?" he finished with a snarl.

"No, but maybe if you dated a girl instead-"

"What? Do you think this is elaborate 'lifestyle decision' on my part?" Roxas all but screamed into Axel's face.

For all the bravo and no-nonsense attitude Axel adopted when around the other members of the student body or even his ice hockey mates, the redhead had the decency to look a bit cowed this time. A hand scratched nervously at the back of his head, "Well, yeah…"

"Don't you dare talk to me about it being a choice, Axel." Roxas' voice was low and menacing. He had somehow darted across the room in a matter of seconds. His hands were already tightening around the doorknob of the bathroom door.

"Do you know how many people have committed suicide because they didn't want to be like this? Didn't want to be like me?"

The older redhead had struggled to hear the last few words. His throat had gone dry in response.

"Yeah, I didn't think so... See you around, Axel."

Roxas turned and opened the door, disappearing into the faceless mass of students that had just been released from Mr. Vexen's Science class, leaving a stunned Axel Flynn, student body president and star ice-hockey player, behind him.

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**A/N: **Please review! I'm open up to prompts and suggestions. I'm planning to get 365 Kingdom Hearts one-shots and drabbles done before the year is up. Help a kid out.


	2. Christmas Carols All Year Round

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the Kingdom Hearts plots, characters or designs.

**Summary: **Axel, Roxas and the gang decide to spend the morning eating breakfast at diner by the name of Christmas Town Diner. Pence thinks he has fashion sense. Hayner's determined to win against Seifer. Sora's missing Riku. Oh, yeah, and Axel's iPod playlist only consists of Christmas carols. [AkuRoku][past Naminé/Axel][SoRiku][365 Days of Kingdom Hearts Challenge – see profile for details]

**A/N: **All credit to idea of the Christmas Town Diner goes to my wonderful beta, meeka-eela. To see it in all its glory, please go read her fic: 'Signs that you're in love with your best friend'. You won't be disappointed. The concept of Naminé and Axel having dated in the past is also a gem I picked out from her fanfiction piece. In fact, this entire fic is basically a spin-off of 'Signs that you're in love with your best friend'. Keep up the fabulous work, hun.

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**Christmas Carols All Year Round**

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"So, um, what are we going to order this time around?" Hayner said. His mop of dirty blond hair peered over the leather-bound menu to stare at the other occupants of the red vinyl booth seats. It was a tight fit, but somehow all eight of the gang that were present had made it work.

It had been Roxas' idea that they all visit the diner, and seeing that it was the only establishment within a five-mile radius that offered student discounts, no one was up to arguing against his suggestion.

Besides, Christmas Town Diner, where apparently it was Christmas every day, made the best homemade apple pie and generally the group of teenagers didn't leave the building unless they had split a pie or two between themselves.

"Yah know, the usual?" Axel smirked, stretching his arm out not so discretely, so that it could rest behind Roxas' head.

"You mean cinnamon infused blueberry pancakes and the blackest coffee they can make to match the darkness of your soul?"

"Ha-ha! Very funny, Pence." The redhead mocked, eyeing the strange object sitting on the boy's black nest of hair, "Where'd you pull that one of, huh? That dorky hat that you're wearing?"

Pence looked affronted, immediately yanking the hat out of Axel's reach. It was a bright checked mustard and army-green panama that had a purple feather sticking out the back.

"My hat is not dorky, thank you very much. I," he adjusted it quickly, "just so happen to look distinguished." Pence finished with an upturn of his nose.

Demyx snorted. "Who told you that? Olette?"

"Yeah..."

"You know," Larxene snickered, "she'd do anything to make you look like a fool. Especially in public." She grinned evilly.

"I think it turns her on or something." Axel offered.

Pence narrowed his brown eyes. "Now who's being a wise-guy?"

"Seriously though," Larxene interrupted, "we've been here for nearly twenty minutes already and all we've managed to order is eight glasses of iced-water 'cause it always takes absolutely ages for us to decide what we want to eat."

"Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if Naminé was getting ready to come over here and kick us out."

"Nah, Demy. She wouldn't do that. She dated Axel after all. I bet she relishes having this opportunity to ogle our little pyromaniac again."

"Hayner!" Olette picked up a menu and swatted the blond upside the head with it.

"You have no tact," she shook her head, "None whatsoever!"

"I do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Hey, Axel?" Sora tapped the redhead on his bare shoulder, drawing his attention away from the arguing pair.

"Yeah, Sora?" Axel turned to face the brunette and smiled, "What can I do for you little guy?"

"Um, can I borrow your iPod please?"

"Sure, Sky-boy." Axel pulled out the contraption and pair of tangled earphones he dug out of his back jeans' pocket and handed them to Sora.

"Mind you, I think the left earphone is broken. Roxie's new puppy got a hold it last night. Amongst some other things." He grimaced.

"It's not my fault you leave your things lying around." Roxas huffed.

"He shouldn't have been in our room." Axel countered.

"Lovers-spat!" Hayner shouted.

"I've heard too much!" Pence screamed, covering his ears.

"Thanks Axel." Sora beamed before turning the music device on.

Axel ruffled the brunette's hair, "No problem little bro."

"I think Sora's missing Riku." Larxene whispered when Sora was safely hidden in the world that was Axel's music.

"Yeah," Demyx took a sip of his water, "Riku went on a boating-trip with his step-father and our poor pint-sized Sora couldn't go with."

"Why?"

"The rocking motion of the water makes him spew chunks." Demyx replied with a slightly sour look on his face.

"That's gross."

"I know, right?"

* * *

"Uh, hello." Naminé greeted the table of people before pulling a notepad and a pen from the cherry-blossom apron she was wearing.

"Hey Naminé!" Everyone yelled.

The blond-haired girl smiled. "Are you ready to order?"

"Uh, let's see..." Roxas leaned forward across the table so that he could be heard. "Two black coffees," he spared a glance at Axel, "No sugar. Three iced-teas. I think Sora here will have a strawberry milkshake. Erm, is that fine for drinks everybody?"

There was a unanimous nodding of heads around the table.

"Great. Would any of you like something to eat?"

"I want bacon and eggs!"

"Roxas and I'll share one of the chef's special blueberry pancakes. Pence's suggestion might not be such a bad idea." Axel declared.

"I'll have two omelettes with the works. On, and bring me a stack of toast. A huge stack."

Everyone stopped in mid-conversation to stare at Hayner.

"What?" he eyed everyone, "A man's gotta eat."

"He's facing Seifer in the Lot later." Roxas piped up.

"Really?" Larxene's blue eyes brightened, "He'll need all the energy he can get."

"And just bring a big ol' plate of fried chips for the rest." Axel pointed to all the others who hadn't placed an order for anything to eat.

Naminé nodded, tucking the pad and pen back into the apron. "Your food will be out in the next fifteen minutes."

"I love this diner." Axel sighed, leaning back into the vinyl seating of the booth.

"Me too." Roxas whispered, resting his head against the redhead's upper arm.

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After everybody had dutifully stuffed their faces and eaten about as much as they could handle –Pence had gone through three plates of soft-fried eggs and bacon, everyone settled into a sort of quiet appreciation of the good spread the Christmas Town Diner's chef had served up.

"Hey, Axel?" Sora broke the silence.

"Mm?" the redhead responded sleepily. A full stomach always made Axel feel like he could crawl up in a ball somewhere and nod off.

"Err... do you know what month it is?"

"'Course I do, Sky-boy." Axel's brow furrowed, "It's the middle of March."

Sora fiddled with the iPod in his hands. "Then why does your playlist consist of just Christmas carols?"

"Just Christmas carols, Axel?" Larxene questioned, eyeing the redhead sceptically.

"You can't be serous," Pence shrieked, "Pass it over, Sora!"

"Ah, no man... That's Axel's thing." Demyx said between each drag of the cigarette he had in his left hand.

"What do you mean Axel's 'thing'?"

"I mean," Demyx tapped his cigarette into the silver ashtray that was placed in the centre of the diner table, "that's all the redhead listens to."

"Now I know you're lying!"

"Axel?"

The redhead sipped a bit of his black coffee before replying. "Nothing like a little Perry Como to get you through the day."

"'Home For The Holidays'?" Pence's eyebrows quirked in surprise.

Axel nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "That's the one. And Darlene's 'Christmas, Baby Please Come Home' is one of my Roxie's favourites."

"You've got to be kidding me, Roxas." Olette gasped, "That song is so sad."

"Nope," Demyx shook his head, "True as anything. If I just so happen to be near the bathroom when Axel's in the shower, you can be sure he'll be sounding out 'Little Drummer Boy' through the door."

The blond finally snubbed out the cigarette stub. "It's awful really."

"Excuse me! I happen to have a lovely singing voice."

"Soprano!" Roxas coughed, blushing when Axel caught him out and mouthed a friendly 'shut it'.

"Well... we should probably split." Hayner exhaled, coupling the table's glasses together and piling up the various breakfast plates that they had used.

"What are we going to do after this?"

"We could go to the movies!"

"Or the skate park!"

"How about we go the beach," Roxas said softly, "I've saved up some munny. We could all take the train."

"That's an awesome idea, Roxas."

"Cool."

"Let's pay Naminé for her troubles and get outta here pronto. I want to spend as much time as possible in the water before we have to see Hayner's face get beat in by Seifer." Sora said, watching the blue sky outside in search for any dark clouds that could threaten their day of potential fun.

"Hey!" Hayner frowned.

"Remember to leave a big tip." Larxene slid out of the booth until she was standing near the diner door. "That girl deserves it."

"Does anyone have change?"

"Can someone cover for me? I've left my wallet at home." Pence finished, looking guilty.

"Like you always do, Pence."

* * *

"Thanks again, Naminé." Axel muttered. Everyone had already left the Christmas Town Diner, leaving the redhead and Roxas to handle the bill.

"Be sure to give the chef our compliments," the blond male quipped, "those blueberry pancakes were amazing!"

"Sure thing, Roxas. It was good to see you all again."

"Yeah..." he mumbled, slipping his hand to rest in Axel's own.

"We'll be back soon." The redhead cried, as he was lead through the front door.

* * *

"The snow's coming down... I'm watching it fall... watching the people around..."

Roxas stopped and turned to face the towering figure next to him. He had to strain his neck, but he could still make out the movement of the older boy's lips. He was mouthing the words to that infernal Christmas song again.

"You're crazy, Axel. You know that?"

"Yeah," Axel wrapped his lanky arms around the blond and drew him flush against his body, "But you love me for my quirkiness."

Roxas chuckled, watching the gap between their lips lessen until Axel's soft lips were pressing against his own asking for sweet entrance into that delectable mouth-

"Hey! Are you guys going to stand their making out the whole day, or are we going to catch some sun?"

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**A/N: **Please review! I'm open up to prompts and suggestions. I'm planning to get 365 Kingdom Hearts one-shots and drabbles done before the year is up. Help a kid out.


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